touring kayaks

A type of kayak used prinicipally for paddling on flatwater (i.e., lakes, non-whitewater rivers, calm shallow inlets, and oceans. Also known as sea kayaks, these boats are longer than their whitewater counterparts. The extra length helps them "track," which means they're easier to keep following a straight course. The length also makes them less manueverable than a shorter kayak. Consequently, touring kayaks are often equipped with a rudder, operated by foot pedals in the cockpit. This rudder provides additional manueverability as well as helping the paddler to maintain a staight course in winds, waves, or currents. Finally, the extra boat length provides a fair amount of storage capacity, allowing the touring kayak to carry camping gear for extended trips.